PRIVATE WALKING TOURS
Team Building | Field Trips | Birthday Parties | Family Reunions | Clubs
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE JUST FOR YOUR GROUP!
Want to get together with your crew for an outdoor experience in Vancouver that’s original, active, fascinating, and completely engaging from start to finish? You’ll discover history you won’t believe happened, on the streets where it all went down. Plus our guides are some of the friendliest, funniest and most charming people you could meet!
CHOOSE YOUR START TIME
TOURS RUN ~2HRS
AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND
FROM $30 PER PERSON
9 person minimum, or equivalent cost
MEET IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER
EMAIL US TO GET STARTED
Email us: [email protected]
Include your group size, preferred tour, date, and time. We’ll respond within one business day. And you can cancel your experience for a full refund up to 24 hours before your tour start time. No questions asked!
Email us: [email protected]
Include your group size, preferred tour, date, and time. We’ll respond within one business day. And you can cancel your experience for a full refund up to 24 hours before your tour start time. No questions asked!
WHO WE’VE WORKED WITH
CHOOSE YOUR PRIVATE WALKING TOUR
THE HOLIDAY HISTORY & HOT CHOCOLATE TOUR
HOLIDAY LIGHTS | ICONIC BUILDINGS | SCANDAL
On the Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour you’ll discover the sensational stories and holiday lights of our city’s most iconic places including Granville Street’s Theatre Row, Hotel Vancouver, Marine Building, and more. You’ll dig into the dirty foundations of our city’s most famous buildings – and their stories of murder, fame, jealous lovers, fortunes built and lost, corruption… and alluring glamour, with a warming cocoa from Trees in hand!
THE LOST SOULS OF GASTOWN TOUR
THE GREAT VANCOUVER FIRE | VENGEFUL MURDER | TRUE GRIT
Gather your group under the glow of the lamplight as you’re transported to Vancouver’s earliest and most gruesome history on the Lost Souls of Gastown Tour. Venture through Gastown’s cobblestone streets in this unique performance-theatre experience led a professional actor-storyteller. Hear the haunting legend of Gaoler’s Mews, the salacious stories of the Ladies of the Gold Rush, and much more. This history walking tour combines a healthy dose of theatre and drama for an unforgettable night for you and your crew!
THE FORBIDDEN VANCOUVER WALKING TOUR
PROHIBITION | RUM-RUNNING | RIOTS | GASTOWN
On the Forbidden Vancouver Tour you’ll explore prohibition-era Gastown, a time of bootlegging, rum-running, and speakeasies.
Stroll the city’s oldest cobblestone streets and hear the stories of legendary Vancouver mob kingpin Joe Celona, crooked prohibition commissioners, infamous riots, dry squad raids, and our city’s greatest smugglers.
THE DARK SECRETS OF STANLEY PARK WALKING TOUR
HISTORIC TOTEM POLES | NOTORIOUS CRIMES | DEADMAN’S ISLAND
On the Dark Secrets of Stanley Park Tour you’ll discover the park you thought you knew has a remarkable – and oftentimes shocking – history.
Travel back in time through murky real estate deals, forced evictions, smallpox cemeteries, bizarre public artwork, and true crime scenes. You’ll never see the park the same way again.
THE REALLY GAY HISTORY WALKING TOUR
LGBTQ2+ PIONEERS | DRAG QUEENS & KINGS | BOOKSTORE BOMBS
On the Really Gay History Tour you’ll walk the city’s bustling West End with storyteller and tour creator Glenn Tkach as your guide.
Hear tales of gay struggle at the United Church, the myth of Patient Zero, our city’s very first PRIDE parade, Jim Deva Plaza, Vancouver’s secret gay village, and the transgender activist who blew the whistle on the biggest crime in Vancouver history. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll walk away inspired!
FORBIDDEN VANCOUVER PRIVATE TOUR REVIEWS
WE HAD AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AS A PRIVATE TOUR!
“I cannot recommend this tour enough! We booked as a private group tour, they were quick to respond and were friendly and helpful… It was fascinating learning about Vancouver’s seedy past.”
-libbys525, Tripadvisor
GREAT CORPORATE EVENT!
“Held a corporate event with Forbidden Vancouver that from all accounts was fantastic! Recommend it to groups big or small. They were very accommodating.”
-Gwchristie306, Tripadvisor
A WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND A DAY
“One thing that really stood out to me was his awareness and cultural humility around indigenous people, history of two spirit people, and the land thru which he guided us… would recommend.”
-M J, Tripadvisor
TERRIFIC, ENLIGHTENING TOUR
“The Forbidden Vancouver History Tour was really entertaining, full of information I did not yet know about the prohibition in Vancouver.”
-msapplesass, Tripadvisor
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A PRIVATE FORBIDDEN VANCOUVER TOUR
This shared experience will ignite conversation and create stronger bonds!
This isn’t a history lesson, it’s storytelling. Expect to laugh, learn, and be entertained.
Engage your team’s empathy & teamwork with real stories of Vancouver’s past heroes and villains.
Our tours are a low-barrier activity for those who may be shy to participate, and those more engaged can ask questions.
*Tours are accessible (with the exception of the Dark Secrets of Stanley Park) and are held at your group’s pace.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What do we need to bring?
For the summer months we recommend a sun-hat, sunscreen, sun-glasses, and a bottle of water. For the cooler months, we recommend a rain jacket and sturdy footwear.
And do remember you to bring your smart phones fully charged, so you can capture photos of the amazing sites you’ll see and memories of your group’s experience!
How long is the walking tour?
That depends on which walking tour you choose, but generally speaking between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. We can stage a custom 1 hour version of our Monumental Scandals Tour if you’re under a time crunch!
Can we add or remove guests last minute?
You can add guests up to the time of your tour by emailing us at [email protected]. As long as we can fit them in then it’s no problem!
If your guests numbers fall, we can offer a refund up to 24 hours before your scheduled start time. Bear in mind we need a minimum of 9 guests, or the equivalent cost, to run a private tour.
Are your walking tours wheelchair accessible?
Every one of our walking tours is wheelchair accessible except for the Dark Secrets of Stanley Park Tour. That experience includes trails and steps, so can’t accommodate wheelchairs unfortunately.
Can we take the Lost Souls of Gastown Tour as a private tour?
We typically recommend one of our other walking tours for private groups. We’ve found one of the features of private tours is that since in most cases the group all know each other, you can get into some really interesting conversation with your guide about Vancouver and its history. On the Lost Souls of Gastown Tour – which is a roving one-person play with your guide in character – it’s not possible to get to know your guide in the same way.
Does my group need to tip the guide?
We charge an automatic 18% gratuity on top of the cost of your walking tour. Your group doesn’t need to tip your guide on the day.
Can we finish at a bar or restaurant?
Our walking tours finish near to some of the city’s most loved entertainment districts, like Gastown, the Davie Street Village, or Granville Street. These neighbourhoods are packed with places to wine and dine after your tour. If you’re looking for recommendations, please drop us an email at [email protected].
Our Dark Secrets of Stanley Park Tour finishes near the Vancouver Aquarium, but your group can certainly drive, cab, or Uber from there to the West End or the Downtown Core for post-tour refreshments.
What is the cancellation policy?
We have a very flexible cancellation policy – provided you cancel more than 24 hours before your scheduled tour time, we’ll issue you a full refund. If you cancel with less than 24 hrs notice, you aren’t eligible for a refund, but we are happy to either reschedule you to a different day or issue you a store credit for the value of your booking. The rescheduling/store credit options are subject to a $100 processing fee.
How much walking is involved?
Each of our walking tours is between around 1.5 km and 2 km in length. They stay largely on flat, even ground and your guide will walk at an easy pace. However, each member of your group does need to be comfortable on their feet or wheelchair for up to around 2 hours.